The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-20

tor the Prlnc9 OF Wales and the consort or the
sovereign. All things being ready, the Lord
Chancellor appears. gorgeous beyond power OF
man TO describe in his flowing robes OF scarlet
ana ermine. He does not sir upon the woosack
as usual, for the throne ls uncovered, and al
though the Queen is not there, etiquette de-
mands that some show of reverence be made to
the chair on which she would sit II present;
therefore low, humb!e ltIa bench. suggestive
OF school FORM except that it is red. is placed
before the railing around the throne, and on this
the mighty Lord Chancellor squats, with his
scarlet robes flowing out all around over the
floor. After the Lord Chancellor, there marched
In four royal commissioners, specially appointed
to give assent in the Queens name to tho bills.
These commissioners-the Marquis OF Lothian,
Earl Brownlow. Vlscount Cross and Lord Stan
ley, of Preston-were arrayed in scarlet and
ermine likewise, fully grandly as
hats, while the Chancellor wore the
Judicial fat The four noble scarlet lords
crowded onto a little bench, two either side
OF the Chancellor and all Eve together produced
al effect which d1mmed The splendor Of the
stained-glass windows and almost eelipsed the
eilded throne below which they crouched All
this while gentleman. all in black, with
cooked hat in hand and black stick in his hand.
was rowing about at convenient distance.
''Black Rod" was called out, and this mournful
person. whose full title is Gentleman Usher Of
the Black Rod advanced. lie ordered to
summon the Speaker OF the lower house and the
faithful Commons to appear at the bar OF the
Lords. and immediately, with all soemnity,
trotted off Soon after bo appeared among the
Commons. bowling lowly but haughty, and
summoned them to follow him.
Mr. Isaacson was just asking question of
the Home Secretary, but it was not answered,
for respect TO the Lords demands that all other
business shall be suspended when BLACK Rod"
appears. A sigh of relief went up from the oc-
cupants Of all the benches; it meant the end of
their long session. The Speaker got down from
his chair, and paced with diEnifed tread, in
gray wig, black gown and six stockings. toward
the House OF Lords. Behind him followed the
Sergeant-at-arms and his private chaplain,
dispensable adjunct the outfit of Lord
Mayor, Speaker or other oignitaries here as sill
ver-headed cane Is TO that of fashionable
youth at nome. A crowd of members followed
along behind the Speaker and all crowded to-
cether at the bar, or, in plain words. the
had conducted them. The Speaker bowed
low three times to the bench
full of gentlemen in scarlet. and the
Lord High Chancellor bowed three times
him, but all this display of good will did not
to put the parties tho least bit of friendly
footing. | never saw quite as solemn and
gloomy a set of men And thew might Just
we'll have been cheerful, considering how gayly
they dressed. Ths Chancellor apparently
considered himself much better than the Speaker,
whose wig. though nonderous, does not compare
with the Chancelor's. and whose salary of
$4,000 sterling is only half as big as that of his
lordsblp.
The Chancellor rising, Black Rod disappeared,
the Clerk Of the Lords assented, in the
name OF tue Queen, TO the last bills
passed. In asserting to the bills the Queen.
speaking through the clerks mouth does not
answers in the old Norman French. brought over
by Conqueror Bill. OF supply bills by which
Parliament gets money. the Queen saws: La
reyns remercie ses bons sujets de leur benevo-
lence ct ainsie le veult." To public bills the
Queen, through /the clerk. says shortly: LA
reyne le veult," and to private bills: 'iSot fail
CONNIE il est DESIRE" The Old Norman French
did not sound as queerly as il would have done
in another place. for it seemed to suit scarlet
robes ard general stiffness exactly, and gave
flavor to the whole affair But Radicals
object. and next session Scotchmen will bring
in bill requiring the Queen to give her reply in
plain English.
When the bills had been cleared off. the Lord
Chancellor aad every body eise stood on and the
Queens speech. which had already been sent,
was read. Then BLACK Rod" to the front
again. the Speaker bowed three times. the Lord
Chancellor did the sane Black Rod being all
the while in a chronic state OF back bending,
and re cere.B@L5 il. stsT ilouso Of Lords was
ended.
After yard. u the co,amons, tie Speaker read
the sDeech All over aeain TWO Radicals, Quinn
and Howell. keeping their hats on, and business
ended The thin-lagged Sergeant at arms
walked off with tho gold mace, the Speaker
through the annual hand shaking perform
ance, in which no Irishnen joined this year, and
in few moments busters and scrub women
entered into lengthy possession of the Parlia-
ment's buildings.